Banking thematic reviews

Thematic review of Bank Conduct and Culture

This report outlines the findings from a joint FMA and RBNZ review of the conduct and culture in retail banks operating in New Zealand.

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Banks conduct and culture review (PDF 614.52 KB)

Banks news & updates

Nov 2020 Banks

The Reserve Bank launched a consultation on the details for implementing the final Capital Review decisions announced in December 2019.

View the Media release: Reserve Bank launches consultation to implement Capital Review changes.

Nov 2020 Banks

The Reserve Bank has published a regulatory update announcement covering four areas:

Capital Review Implementation Timing
Capital Review Implementation Consultation
Loan-to-Value Ratio Restrictions
Dividend Restrictions

View the Media release: Further regulatory steps to promote cashflow confidence and stability.

Aug 2020 Banks

The Reserve Bank - Te Pūtea Matua - announced an extension of the regulatory guidance for the mortgage deferrals programme to help customers in need.

Since the original guidance was issued in March, many lenders have been supporting customers affected financially by COVID-19. The regulatory guidance means banks can continue to offer temporary mortgage deferrals to their customers, without those loans being viewed as being in default. The extension takes effect from when the existing guidance expires on 27 September and will apply until 31 March 2021, at which point the usual treatment will resume. Banks will still be able to offer deferrals to borrowers after this date, but they will not have the same concessionary regulatory treatment.

View the News release: Reserve Bank extending mortgage deferral scheme.

Apr 2020 Banks

The Reserve Bank has published guidance on the implementation of regulatory capital calculation for the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme (BFGS) by banks operating the Standardised and Internal Ratings Based (IRB) approaches to credit risk, and implementation of the mortgage deferrals programme by banks.

Letter to banks and NBDTs on Reserve Bank's position on approach to BFGS and mortgage deferrals (PDF 300KB)

Apr 2020 Banks

The Reserve Bank is introducing a Term Lending Facility (TLF), a new longer-term funding scheme for the banking system, in support of the Government’s Business Finance Guarantee Scheme to help promote lending to businesses.

Read the news release outlining the scheme